Predicting which key 2024 Bengals free agents will stay or go

Jonah Williams: Go

The player on this list that I'm the most confident about not being a Bengal in 2024 and beyond is Jonah Williams. The Bengals spent a first-round pick on Williams in 2019 and the first two years saw him sidelined frequently due to injuries.

In a make-or-break year in 2021, Williams played well, prompting the Bengals to pick up his fifth-year option. He didn't play as well in 2022 and now that decision looks to be a not-so-great one, as he's owed over $12 million in 2023.

Williams had played left tackle for the Bengals during his time with the team but he's moving to right tackle this year. He originally wanted to be traded when the team acquired Orlando Brown Jr. but now he appears motivated to prove himself at a new position and get paid next offseason.

In all likelihood, he gets paid decently but not by Cincinnati.

Logan Wilson: Stay

First, the Bengals need to pay Joe Burrow. After that, Logan Wilson and Tee Higgins are next on the agenda.

As is the case with Higgins, the Bengals don't necessarily have to extend Wilson now. They could wait until next year and choose to franchise tag him if they don't have to take that route with Higgins but that seems unlikely considering the linebacker franchise tag number this year is upwards of $17 million.

With the Bengals already locking up Germaine Pratt, they have one of their linebacker duo members back for the foreseeable future but Wilson has been just as important to this franchise during their magical run. He had the interception in the 2022 AFC Divisional Round that won the game for Cincinnati and sent them to the AFC title game.

It feels like when a big play needs to be made, Wilson is there in some capacity. Hopefully, the Bengals can find a way to keep him in the Stripes.

The Cincinnati Bengals can't afford to keep everyone so this is just an early prediction of who they might be able to keep and who might be calling another city home this time next year.